FREE LOCAL FISHING MAP Using the Eat Safe Fish Guidelines What are ‘safe’ fish? & Eat Safe Fish Guidelines MDHHS tests only the filets of the fish for Safe fishare fish that are low in chemicals to set these guidelines. MI Servings chemicals. If you use the Eat Safe are set to be safe for everyone. This includes children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, Fish Guide when you choose fish and people who have health problems like to catch and eat, you will protect cancer or diabetes. yourself and your family from chemicals that could someday How much is MI Serving? make you sick. eat Weight of Person MI Serving Size 45 pounds 2 ounces If there are chemicals in the fish, 90 pounds 4 ounces why should I still eat it? 180 pounds 8 ounces Fish have a lot of great health benefits. For every 20 pounds less than the weight listed in ; Fish can be a great low-fat the table, subtract 1 ounce of fish. safe For example, a 70-pound child’s MI Serving size is 3 ounces of fish. source of protein. 90 pounds - 20 pounds = 70 pounds & 4 ounces - 1 ounce = Weigh Less? Weigh a MI Serving size of 3 ounces ; Fish are brain food. For every 20 pounds more than the weight listed in ; Some fish have heart- the table, add 1 ounce of fish. For example, a 110-pound person’s MI Serving size is 5 ounces of fish. healthy omega-3s. 90 pounds + 20 pounds = 110 pounds / 4 ounces plus 1 ounce = a MI Serving size of 5 ounces fish More? Weigh Plus, fishing is a fun way to get outside and You might eat more than one MI Serving in a meal. in That’s OK, just keep track so you don’t have too much. enjoy Michigan’s 11,000 lakes, rivers, and streams! the Saginaw Are you pregnant? If you go after fish that have Fish is good for you and your baby! Use your fewer chemicals in them, pre-pregnancy weight to find your MI Serving size. trim away the fat, and Bay Area It’s also best to avoid eating fish labeled as “Limited” when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. grill or broil the fish (including Saginaw Bay, that you eat, you can Saginaw River, and the get a lot of health benefits My Michigan, MI Serving Size Tittabawassee River) and have very little risk. ; 8 ounces of fish = size of an adult’s hand (large oval) Catching fish • Buying fish • Eating fish 8 For more information on safe fish, call ; 4 ounces of fish = size of the palm MDHHS at 1-800-648-6942 or visit us online at 4 of an adult’s hand (small circle) www.michigan.gov/eatsafefish. 2 ; 2 ounces of fish = size of half a palm of an adult’s hand (rectangle) The MDHHS Safe Fish Guidelines in this brochure are from the MDHHS 2018 Eat Safe Fish Guide. www.michigan.gov/eatsafefish For updates, visit www.michigan.gov/eatsafefish or call 1-800-648-6942 and ask for a free Guide. Lake Huron Chemicals of Size of Fish MI Servings Chemicals of Size of Fish MI Servings Type of Fish Concern (length in inches) Per Month* Type of Fish Concern (length in inches) Per Month* Brown Trout PCBs Any 6 Per Year2x Lake Whitefish Dioxins Any 6 Per Year2x Carp PCBs & Dioxins Any Do Not Eatp Northern Pike PCBs Any 12x Catfish Dioxins Any Limitedp Rainbow Trout PCBs Any 6 Per Year2x Chinook Salmon PCBs Any 6 Per Year2x Smelt PCBs Any 42x Coho Salmon PCBs Any 6 Per Year2x Steelhead PCBs Any 6 Per Year2x Freshwater Drum Mercury Any 1 Suckers PCBs Any 22x PCBs & Dioxins Under 20” 12x Walleye Dioxins Any 6 Per Year2x Lake Trout 20” to 24” 6 Per Year2x White (Silver) Bass PCBs & Dioxins Any Limitedp PCBs Over 24” Limitedp White Perch PCBs Any 6 Per Year2x Yellow Perch Dioxins Any 22x Statewide Guidelines & More Don’t see a certain Bay, Midland, or Saginaw County lake or river listed in this brochure? Then the Statewide Safe Fish Guidelines can help you find safer fish to eat. Only use the Statewide Guidelines if... • the Bay, Midland, or Saginaw County lake or river you are fishing in is not listed in this brochure, OR • your lake or river is listed in this brochure, but the fish species is not listed. Statewide Safe Fish Guidelines Chemicals of Size of Fish MI Servings Chemicals of Size of Fish MI Servings Type of Fish Concern (length in inches) Per Month* Type of Fish Concern (length in inches) Per Month* Black Crappie Mercury Any Size 4 Rock Bass Mercury Any Size 4 Bluegill Mercury Any Size 8 Under 18” 2 Smallmouth Bass Mercury Brown Trout Mercury Any Size 4 Over 18” 1 Bullhead Mercury Any Size 4 Suckers Mercury Any Size 8 Carp PCBs Any Size 2 Sunfish Mercury Any Size 8 Catfish PCBs & Mercury Any Size 4 Under 20” 2 Walleye Mercury Under 18” 2 Over 20” 1 Largemouth Bass Mercury Over 18” 1 White Crappie Mercury Any Size 4 Muskellunge Mercury Any Size 1 Yellow Perch Mercury Any Size 4 Under 30” 2 Northern Pike Mercury Over 30” 1 These guidelines are based on the typical amount of chemicals found in fish filets tested from around the state. Some fish may be higher or lower. If any of these fish are listed in the guidelines for the lake or river you are fishing in, use those guidelines instead of the statewide guidelines. The MI Servings recommendation will be more exact for that lake or river because those filets have been tested. For other counties in Michigan, please visit www. michigan.gov/eatsafefish to get the Eat Safe Fish Guide for that region. 2x, Best Choice, Limited, and Do Not Eat If you: Remove the fat; double the MI Servings! Do you eat fish at least twice a week? When using the MDHHS Eat Safe Fish Guide, watch • are under the age of 15, PCBs and dioxins are in the fat of the fish. You can - or - double the number of MI Servings if you: for this MDHHS “Best Choice” symbol. The hook and fish mark species that you and your family can • have health problems, like cancer or diabetes, • trim away the fat that you can see from safely eat 8 MI Servings or more each month! - or - the filet, Choice Best • are planning on having children in the 2x • cook the fish on a grill or broiling pan so more next several years, currently pregnant, or No one should eat fish listed as fat can drip away Limited breastfeeding, Do Not Eat, regardless of age or health. • Note, you can’t remove mercury, selenium, MDHHS suggests you avoid eating all fish listed as or PFOS from the fish. Do not double the When these fish were tested, MDHHS found very “Limited” because of higher levels of chemicals. MI Servings for fish with those chemicals high levels of chemicals. Eating even one meal of listed as a Chemical of Concern. these fish could possibly lead to health problems If NONE of the above apply to you, it is usually OK Do Not Eat in the future, regardless of age or health. to eat fish listed as “Limited” 1 or 2 times each year. v. 06-2018 Eat Safe Fish Guidelines These guidelines are from the 2018 Southeast Eat Safe Fish Guide. To get the most up-to-date guidelines for lakes and rivers in Bay, Midland, and Saginaw Counties or other areas of Michigan, please visitwww.michigan.gov/eatsafefish to download a copy of the Eat Safe Fish Guide to your smartphone or call 1-800-648-6942 to get a print copy! Chippewa River Map of the Saginaw Bay Area (downstream of Lake Isabella Dam, Isabella Co.) These areas have Chemicals of Size of Fish MI Servings Saginaw Bay Type of Fish fish that you can eat Concern (length in inches) Per Month* 8 servings or more Carp PCBs & Dioxins Any Limitedp per month safely! Sanford Lake Under 8” 4 A DNR Family Rock Bass Mercury Friendly Fishing Tobico Marsh Over 8” 2 Site! Mercury & Suckers Any 2 PCBs Kawkawlin River When fishing in the Chippewa River near the Pine River, please use the Chippewa River Saginaw River Pine River guidelines below. Tittabawassee River downstream of Midland Flint River Cheboyganing (downstream of Mott Dam, including Gilkey Creek) Creek Pine River Chemicals of Size of Fish MI Servings downstream of Type of Fish (length in inches) the St Louis Dam, Gratiot Co. Concern Per Month* Carp PCBs Any Limitedp Largemouth Bass PFOS Any 6 Per Year Cass River downstream of Rock Bass PFOS Any 1 Bad River Caro in Tuscola Co. Smallmouth Bass PFOS Any 6 Per Year Shiawassee River PFOS can’t be reduced by trimming and cooking. Do not double MI Servings. downstream of Owosso, Flint River Shiawassee Co. downstream of the Mott Dam, including Gilkey Creek Haithco Lake MI Servings Type of Fish Chemicals of Size of Fish Bad River Concern (length in inches) Per Month* MI Servings Black Crappie Mercury Any 4 Type of Fish Chemicals of Size of Fish Concern (length in inches) Per Month* White Crappie Mercury Any 4 p Carp PCBs Any Limited Yellow Perch Mercury Any 4 Under 18” 12x Catfish PCBs Over 18” 6 Per Year2x Kawkawlin River PCBs & MI Servings Northern Pike Mercury Any 2 Type of Fish Chemicals of Size of Fish Concern (length in inches) Per Month* Cass River Carp PCBs Any Limitedp (downstream of Caro in Tuscola Co.) Northern Pike PCBs Any Limitedp Chemicals of MI Servings When fishing the river near Saginaw Bay, use the Saginaw Bay guidelines below.